


Movies, Munchies, and Lightsabers

by PolyPairings



Series: The Arbiter, The Medic, and Inter-Species Relationships [5]
Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Arbiter cronch, Arbiter x Reader, Attraction to aliens, Elites | Sangheili - Freeform, Fishy Boi, Gender-neutral Reader, He monch, Movie Night, No Beta - We Die Like Badasses, Other, Out-of-context tags are fun, Space Popcorn, Star Wars - Freeform, Thel 'Vadam x Reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25773913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolyPairings/pseuds/PolyPairings
Summary: Next installment in the Arbiter, the Medic, and Inter-Species Relationships series! This is the movie date alluded to in the previous work! Can probably be read alone, but would recommend reading the rest of the series!
Relationships: Thel 'Vadam | The Arbiter/Reader
Series: The Arbiter, The Medic, and Inter-Species Relationships [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615108
Comments: 20
Kudos: 37





	Movies, Munchies, and Lightsabers

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Next date! Please excuse any grammar or spelling mistakes, as there is no beta and I am on pain meds. The tumor has been removed! Recovery will be long, since it was in a muscle and attached to a nerve, and the incision is pretty big, but I'm doing fine! Please enjoy, and as always, I'd love to hear what you think! I'm not quite sure about the ending.

You and the Arbiter are busy people. Well, the Arbiter moreso than you, but your schedule is nothing to laugh about either. As such, you have to wait a little while for a time that's both free and convenient. That gives you enough time to plan, though. You want the Arbiter to have best movie experience you can get on a ship in space. You're pretty sure the _Infinity_ has a couple theaters you could use, but you think you'd both prefer some privacy, so you decide to hold it in your quarters. You already have quite a few blankets and pillows, since you've received some as gifts, and you also like to nap on the floor sometimes. Since, as far as you know, Sangheili can pretty much eat the same thing Humans can, classic movie food is a possibility. It'd be difficult to find any movie food, especially since it's been a while since you've had shore leave.

Your salvation comes in the form of Desmond, surprisingly. Well, technically Lucy, but it was Desmond who had a secret stash of instant popcorn. Lucy had casually mentioned that you should be careful in picking the movie so as not to offend the Arbiter at lunch one day. How she knew what your newest date was going to be was some ONI bullshit, and probably illegal. You didn't mind too much, since she's been your friend since before she started moving up in the ranks in ONI. That got everyone else's attention though. Shaun suggested you watch some political documentary series together, to which you politely declined but promised to check out on your own. Rebecca suggested some dramatic and romantic telenovela Alex had gotten her into, while Desmond didn't really have an opinion. You'd decided to also ask them what kind of movie food you should try to get your hands on, if any. You're glad you did, as apparently there was a rumor that Sangheili didn't digest chocolate very well. Some of the younger Swords onboard had been in a dare-battle with marines in the mess; they kept daring each other to eat each other's food. About a week ago, one marine had eaten an entire dried eel*, bones and all. His Sangheili counterpart had eaten a chocolate pudding, and you have no idea how she managed it, with her unique mandibles. It had ended with a trip to the medbay for both of them.

So that was a no on the chocolate, you probably wouldn't be able to get a slushy, so your best bet was popcorn.

"Where the hell am I supposed to get popcorn?"

"Well," Desmond had grinned. "I may know a way."

In repayment for the popcorn, you ran interference with William, Desmond's father. Desmond and Lucy were kinda-sorta-dating, but William despised ONI and everything to do with it. It was surprisingly easy to distract Lieutenant Miles, since he'd been wanting to talk to you. You just played your part, asked him questions, and sacrificed a good 2 hours of your time for Desmond and Lucy to go on a date together. Lieutenant Miles had told you all about the current politics between the UNSC and Sangheili, and ONI and the Sangheili. He talked to you about what your, 'union', as he called it, with the Arbiter could do. He also warned you about tactics ONI might try if they wanted to sabotage it: they might interfere with your messages to one another, bar the Arbiter from the ship, even concoct an incident between you and people who aren't happy you're dating the Arbiter. He came off as a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but he was actually pretty helpful with the politics.

So when Friday, July 23rd rolled around, you were prepared. You had your datapad plugged into its charger and and set to the biggest hologram-screen it could project, a pile of blankets and pillows on the floor since you figured your bed would be too short for the Arbiter to be comfortable on, and two bowls of instant popcorn, movie-theater-butter flavored.

The Arbiter had also told you he'd given N'thito and Khova time off, so they wouldn't stand outside your door and draw even more attention to you. You told him you appreciated it, but made sure he understood that you were in no way ashamed of dating/courting him. You confessed that you were worried that an extremely racist or angry human may come after you because of your connection to him, like Peters did. He reassured you, and reminded you that they'd be punished by the UNSC if they ever touched you. He also said he was confident in your ability to defend yourself, which is a pretty high compliment from a Sangheili. This was during his daily bandage change. You'd normally only change it once every other day by now, but he insisted on being active enough to require it to be changed every day. It would be healed soon, too.

You hear a knock on the door as you pull up your movie streaming feed, and rush to answer it. As you'd suspected, Arbiter was there early, dressed in a comfortable-looking lounge robe.

"Hello!" You greet him happily, and he folds you into a hug at your consent. His hugs are amazing, and he has told you he enjoys hugging you, too. You are smaller and softer than him, and warmer, too. He told you this in a message, and you message each other anytime you can.

"Come in, I've just got everything set up."

He ducks under the doorway, and takes in the changes to your quarters. He puts a hand on the bed to see how soft it is, and starts making himself comfortable on the nest of blankets and pillows next to it when you gesture for him to. You grab your data pad from its spot, and bring it to sit next to him.

"Do you want to try any popcorn? I think you'd be able to digest it without any problems. It's made of corn, butter, and salt."

He looks at the bowl you offer him curiously, and takes it into a hand. You grab your own, and snag a handful to munch on in a sort of demonstration.

After some thought, he brings the bowl up to his face and takes a bite out of the center. He holds it underneath his jaw to catch any pieces that fall. The crunch is loud, and he chews it slowly, tasting it.

"Do you like it?"

He swallows and pauses before deciding. "Yes. The crunch reminds me of bones from an eel we eat*. It is one of my favorite meals."

You smile at him, before remembering you're supposed to be watching a movie too.

"What genre would you like to watch? There's action, adventure, science fiction, historical fiction, comedy, romance, family, horror, and supernatural."

He seems slightly surprised. "All of those are fictional?"

"Yep!"

"Which has the largest selection of options?"

"Oh, that would be historical fiction. It's fiction Humans make that are based on past events."

"My people have something like that, although they are about actions and individuals that have been transformed into legend. Why are there so many?"

Your smile dims a bit. "Well, that's kinda because of the war."

He doesn't seem to be too put off, and he knows that you aren't saying any of this to be malicious, so you continue.

"Movies were still made during the war, to help keep up morale, but not nearly as often or as many as before. A lot of people turned to historical fiction to think of better times, and escape reality for a bit. Romance and family reminded people of their lost loved ones. Supernatural mentioned the names we gave your machines, like Ghost and Spirit. Action and adventure reminded people of the war, and science fiction usually had aliens in it."

"Humans have met other aliens apart from the Covenant?"

"No, Humans actually made them up. We didn't have any idea what aliens would be like, so we just let our imagination run free."

"May I see your idea of aliens?"

You hum and think. "How does Star Wars sound?" There's been around 12 trilogies, you think, as of the start of the war. He might enjoy seeing Humanity's idea of aliens from far before you all even believed there were aliens. The first Prequel would be a good way to start.

At his assent, you get up and put the data pad back in its place, and return to the nest. You hesitate for a second when you return, and the Arbiter spreads his arms in invitation.

You sit in the space between his legs, which he draws into a sort of cross-legged style. His arms encircle you, and he leans his head down onto the top of yours. You take ahold of the hand nearest to you, and start watching with him.

You use the voice command to pause the movie a few times to explain things to him. The main thing he needs to know is that no, Humans did not have FTL or space-faring technology in 1999. It's fake, and created either digitally or painted.

He seems to otherwise enjoy it, and at one point decides to hold his questions until the end to make the watching experience better.

"Did you like it?" You ask as the end credits roll.

"Yes," he says. "I have one more question."

"Alright, shoot," you unironically say.

He sends you an amused glance, he knows of this saying. "In one of the 'scenes', there was a Human and alien couple. Were Humans attracted to aliens?"

Your cheeks heat a bit. "Well, you see," you cough. "Yes. Humans were attracted to aliens, and yes, I know, we hadn't even met aliens yet."

He gives you a sly look. "And are you now?"

You hum, and make a show of giving him a once-over with your eyes. "Well, I dunno...," you smirk at him before he gets offended. "I guess I'd say so."

He smiles at you mischievously. "I suppose I find Humans aesthetically pleasing, as well."

You laugh together, and when you stop, you find him watching your lips. He leans closer to you.

"May I...kiss you?"

"Yes," you breathe. ( [Sangheili Kissing A Human](https://robboyblunder.tumblr.com/post/178518619527/hey-nah-fence-but-uhhhhhhhhhhh-u-should-totally) )**

The kiss lasts a little while, and you gaze into each others' eyes when you pull away.

"Thel," he says suddenly.

"Huh?"

"My name is Thel 'Vadam, if you would like to call me that," he says quietly.

"Thel. I like you, Thel," you smile.

"I like you too." He squeezes your hand. "Would you like to go on a 'date' on the 29th?"

You think about your schedule. "I'm free after work that day. What would we be doing?"

He pauses. "Do you trust me enough for it to be a surprise?"

"Yes," you answer immediately with no hesitation.

You share another smile, and he folds you securely back into his arms.

"Would you like to watch the next one?" You squeeze his hand.

"Yes," he nuzzles the top of your head.

You watch the rest of the Prequel, before he has to go. You sleep on the floor that night, in the small nest of blankets and pillows that you shared.

**Author's Note:**

> *Electric kesh : "Electric kesh are marine animals native to the warm equatorial oceans of Sanghelios. They, along with Snap-tails, are known to thrive in underwater limestone ridges and valleys roughly a kilometer away from shorelines. These scaly sea creatures are considered magnificent specimens among Sangheili fishers." (Source: [Halopedia: Electric Kesh](https://www.halopedia.org/Electric_kesh) )
> 
> **This is the best reference I have ever found of a Sangheili and human kissing. Go check out Robboy's blogs!
> 
> So, the next date is a surprise, yeah... *sweats nervously*
> 
> Okay, so I don't actually know what the next date will be. I can't think of what Thel might do for a date with a Human. I would really appreciate any ideas you have, just drop me a comment. Otherwise, I'll have to think of one, which might take a while, cuz I'm stumped.
> 
> The best idea(s)/the one(s) I use will get a shoutout in my next work! So please help me think of something!
> 
> And don't worry about me not having ideas for the rest of the series, I actually already have drafts for 3 future fics. I just want to have some more dates before these ones, build up trust and affection organically. 
> 
> Thank you in advance for your help!


End file.
